Seven Big East schools confirm exits

Published 11:08 pm, Saturday, December 15, 2012

The seven Big East schools that don't play major college football are separating from the conference many of them founded so they can build a league focused on basketball.

The presidents of the seven schools made the announcement Saturday, two days after their intentions were first reported.

“Earlier today, we voted unanimously to pursue an orderly evolution to a foundation of basketball schools that honors the history and tradition on which the Big East was established,” a statement said.

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“The institutions that have been committed to men's basketball have made a decision that they are going to continue to stay committed to men's basketball,” Marquette coach Buzz Williams said.

Georgetown, St. John's, Seton Hall and Providence helped form the Big East, which started playing basketball in 1979. Villanova joined in 1980, and Marquette and DePaul in 2005. The Big East began playing football in 1991.

Cincinnati basketball coach Mick Cronin said the announcement wasn't a total shock.

“I don't blame them,” he said. “My take is it's a shame that football, one sport, has dictated all this. The money that one sport is swinging around is swaying universities to make decisions.”

The basketball schools gave no details about their plans, such as when they want to depart and whether they will attempt to keep the name Big East.

Among the schools joining the Big East next season are Houston, SMU, Memphis and Central Florida for all sports.